Folding bed



April 3, 1951 .1. L.. GoDscHALK FOLDING BED vi5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

J. L. GODSCHALK FOLDING BED April 3, 1951 'Filed April 7,1949

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll/l//ll/l/lll/llll/l/ L' INVENTOR.

30; NVQ

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BED Jacques L. Godsohalk, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 7, 1949, Serial No. 86,087

`5 Claims. l

This invention relates to a bed which is hingedly mounted to swing about an axis parallel with one of its long sides, thereby minimizing the distance of projection of the bed into the room from the proximate wall. Such a bed may be enclosed within a cabinet so as to be wholly concealed when not in use. Because of the fact that the bed is hinged parallel with one of its long sides, the top of the cabinet may be disposed at a relatively low height which is convenient for supporting various objects. The open front of the cabinet may be closed as by doors or curtains when the bed is folded up to its vertical position therewithin.

The present bed utilizes a metallic frame structure made of parts which are readily available. These include hingedly mounted front legs which remain substantially vertical Whether the bed be swung down or folded up. Each front leg is linkconnected to the proximate rear leg, this connection being pivotal with the front leg and sliding and pivotal with the rear leg for a special purpose. In addition, means is provided whereby the various parts which are fastened to the frame will clear each other when the bed is folded up so as to occupy a minimum of space. Each frontleg is then maintained with its lower end slightly inclined outwardly so that its pivotal connection with the link will remain out of line with respect to its own hinged mounting and with the pivotal-sliding connection of the link with the rear leg.

A bed of this character also embodies other numerous features of improvement as will hereinafter appear. present bed is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the manner following:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the bed swung downwardly to horizontal position, the cabinet enclosing the bed having doors at the front which are opened out to permit the bed to assume the operative position there shown;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cabinet doors closed, as when the bed has been folded up between periods of use;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the cabinet, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the cabinet, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in section, taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail in section, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 7 is a semi-diagrammatic view in which is clearly indicated the engaging positions oi A suggestive embodiment of the certain of theparts by which up-folding movement of the bed frame is halted;

Fig. 8 is a detail in elevation of one corner portion of the bed frame, looking toward its outer (under) side when in up-folded position; and

Fig. 9 is a detail in section, taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Since the present bed is one that is well suited for use elsewhere than in a bedroom, it is desirable that there be an enclosing cabinet therefor whereby the presence of the bed, when not in use, may be concealed. For this purpose I provide a cabinet having opposite end walls l0 and a top Il. The back of the cabinet may be open. The cabinet front is adapted to be closed by curtains or, as shown, by opposite pairs of swinging doors I4, l5 which are hinged to each other and to the end of the cabinet. A rail I6 desirably interconnects the two cabinet ends at the floor line (see Fig. 1).

The bed comprises a frame which may consist of angle irons united into a rectangle to provide a front rail 20, a back rail 2|, and opposite ends 22, 22. The front and back rails extend along the sides of the bed, and they may be appropriately termed side rails. Rising from the frame is a fence having a tubular rail of generally rectangular contour to provide a back 25, a pair of ends 26, and two aligned fronts 2T, 21 between which is a wide gap. Each front rail near its extremity is downturned at 2B to join with the bed frame, and elsewhere posts 30 extend from the fence rail downwardly to the bed frame to provide a means of interconnection therebetween.

A fence of this nature deiines a space within which may be confined a mattress M. The fence gap at the front is sufficiently wide to afford ample opening for a person to slide in and out of the bed. If desired, straps (not shown) may be hooked to eye ttings 3| which upstand from the bed frame at front and rear, the straps being passed over the mattress to hold it in place when swung with the bed to a vertical position, as shown best in Fig. 4. Y

The angle irons of the bed frame are so disposed that a web of each depends along the outside thereof. On the under side of the front rail 20 near each end thereof is a pair of ears 35, 35, secured in place as by Welding, to provide a support for a hinge pin 36 which extends therebetween. This pin traverses the bifurcated upper end 31 of a tubular leg L whose length is such as to extend downwardly from the bed, when in horizontal position, to the floor (see Fig. 1).

Each leg L as a substantially medial point is provided with a pivotal connection 40 for a link 4I which is offset outwardly (see Fig. 8) so as to connect with a leg R toward the rear of the bed, the rear legs being disposed further toward the ends of the bed than the legs L at the front thereof. A stop plate 42 which is carried by each link extends toward the proximate front leg to engage therewith when the bed is folded up, the purpose being to thereby maintain the lower end of the leg in a slightly outwardly inclined psition (see Figs. 6 and 7). y

Each link 4I near its rear end is formed with an elongated slot 45 to receive therethrougha pin 46 one end of which is affixed, as by welding- 41, to the front web 48 of the proximate leg R which is desirably made of angle iron. Eachl rear leg is joined to a foot having angled basesMland 50, extending at 90 in parallelism with the long and short sides of the bed frame. The rear legsare'desirablysecuied to the oor as by screws I which are anchored thereto, thesescrews traversing' the bases' 49' and 50. A

The back rail 2`| o'f the bed frame remains spaced from the wallV adjacent the open back of the cabinet. The pivotal support of the bed is inwardly of the back rail by a substantial distance, at' least'eroug'h to permit the bed to swing through nearly 90 and in so doing, leave ample clearance betweenits fence and the wall.

The legs R which contribute to support of the bed are' substantially concealed from view by the enclosingcabinet. At the top end of each leg the front web 48" is cut away, leaving an upstanding outer web 52 wherein is a notch 53 for' receiving a pin 54 which passes through the end rail to establish a pivotal connection therewith. The 4web 52 which supports the pin 54 is inset at 55 toward the bed frame, soY that the leg R may be positioned close to the end wall I0 of the cabinet while permitting the end rail 22 of the bed frame to be disposedl further therefrom. It will be obvious that removall of the bed frame :may be accomplished easily by lifting the same from off of the two rear legs R and then disconnecting. the links 4l from the pins 40. Such an operation is ordinarily unnecessary, but in the event of any repairs may be easily accomplished.

For support of theV mattress upon thebed frame asuitable spring structure S is provided.v The edge portionsof the spring are suitably secured against the underside of the bed framewith the side of clamping bars 56.

It will be noted that the enclosing cabinet is entirely disconnected from thebed whose supportis furnished by its own four legs the rear ones of which are desirably anchored to the floor. These rear legs are pivotally connected to the bed frame at a point which is substantially distant from the wall ajacentwhich the cabinet is usually placed; in addition the rear side of the bed frame is also spaced from the wall a distance which is sufcient to afford clearance for its upstanding fence to execute aturning movement of 90 or so when the bed is folded up to vertical position.

The construction herein described is such that the front legs which are hingedly mounted to the front rail of the bed frame, somewhat inwardly of the ends thereof, are required to remain in a substantially vertical position whether the bed be swung to its down position or be foldup to its raised position. This is accomplished by the two linksl each in pivotal connection with one of the front legs and in sliding pivotal connection with the proximate rear leg. By this means provision is made for the link to shift endwise the slight distance that is necessary because of the different positions of the pivotal centers 46 and Ell. The front legs remain always in slightly outwardly inclined positions (see Figs. 6 and '7) when the bed is upfolded to its limit, here shown as slightly beyond the vertical. The two links, however, are more nearly vertically disposed, andV the points 40 of' their pivotal attachment with the front legs remain slightly forwardly of a line which extends between the pivotal connections 36 and 46. In consequence, when the' bed is drawn downwardly from its raised position, the front legs will offer no resistance to such movement-an important consideration in a'folding bed structure of the kind under description..

The swinging movements of the bed frame betweenits down and up positions involve a movemerit slightly in excess of The purpose here is to have the preponderance of weight disposed to the rear ofa line extending vertically through the pivotalsupports 54. At the same time it is important to-prevent the bed frame from swinging tooY far, otherwise it would not remain clear. of` the wall to the rear of the cabinet.. The up swinging. movement of the bed is halted when the rear rail 2| of.' the bedv frame approachesthe two legs R at a point-well. below its pivotal axis 54.V As shown best in Figs. 6 and 7, the web of the angled back rail 2|. which normally depends downwardly is extended forwardly when the bed is swung to its up position, and so is free to enter between thev angle irons which constitute the two rear legs R, but only so far as is permitted by the upstanding webs 48. At this point the backl rail 2l` will engage the two webs 48 to halt further swinging movement of the bed frame. In this final positionthe center of gravity has shifted slightly to beyond the line which extends vertically through the pivotal supports 54. The bed frame will accordingly remainin its up positionwithout the need of any latch or other holding device, and its retention in that positionv will bel assured indefinitely; For a downward swinging-movement it is necessary only that a light forward` pull be exerted on the bed frame near its upper end whereupon a down folding movement will ensue without further effort.

The entire structure which constitutes my invention is one which adapts itself for accommodation within a relatively low cabinet. Thisis due tothe fact that the bed is pivotally mountedtoswing about an axis which parallels its two sides. The projection of the bedoutwardly into the' room is, therefore, less than if the bed were hinged to swing about an axis parallel with its two ends. In addition, the parts which are required in the construction of the bed frame and its mounting are relatively few, inexpensive, and readily assembled, and they cooperate effectively in affording the necessary support for the bed whether in its down or up position, and also a stop for the bed frame to prevent overswinging thereof at the conclusion of a predetermined upfolding movement. These parts also provide a stop for the front legs so that they will be maintained out of alignment with the links which connect them with the rear legs. In these several respects, the present bed is advantageous and endowed with usefulness in a high degree.

I claim:

1. A bed comprising a rectangular frame, a pair of legs hinged to a long Side of the frame near opposite ends thereof, a second pair of legs in pivotal engagement with the short sides of the frame at points remote from the first pair of legs and providing a mounting whereon the irame may swing between vertical and horizontal positions, all four pivotal axes being parallel with the long sides of the frame, a pair of links interconnecting the front and rear legs, and stops on the links for engaging with the rst named pair of legs to limit the swinging movement thereof to less than 90 when the frame is swung upwardly through a full 90 about the pivotal axes of the second pair of legs,

2. A bed comprising a rectangular frame, a pair of floor-anchored legs disposed adjacent opposite short sides of the frame and inwardly from one long side thereof for like distances which are a minor part of the length of the short sides, and a separable pivotal connection between each leg and the bed frame, the axes of said connections being in mutual alignment and parallel with the long sides of the bed, the two legs having an angular cross section and so disposed as to receive between them the long side of the frame which executes a down movement when the opposite long side of the bed frame is swungT upwardly and providing a stop to further swinging movement thereof when the bed frame has swung upwardly to the point that its preponderance of weight has crossed a line extending vertically from its pivotal axis.

3. A bed according to claim 2 in which a pair of free legs are pivotally connected to the frame at the other long side thereof to swing about aligned axes which are parallel with the long sides of the frame, and in which a link interconnects each anchored leg with the proximate free leg by pivotal means which permits sliding movement of the link relative to one leg to compensate for variations in distances between the pivotal means connecting the legs to the frame according to the swung position of the bed frame.

4. A bed comprising a rectangular frame, four legs depending from the frame, two of the legs at opposite ends of the frame being connected thereto to permit swinging of the frame between vertical and horizontal positions about an axis in parallelism with the sides thereof, means for anchoring the said two legs to the floor whereon the bed is stood, the points of connection of the anchored legs with the frame being spaced inwardly equidistantly and substantially from the proximate frame side and the anchored legs ben ing provided with stop means at points substantially below the axis of their connection with the frame to be engaged by the proximate frame side when the frame is swung upwardly from the horizontal through a movement lof approximately 90, the anchored stop means when engaged with the frame side acting to limit further swinging movement thereof, means connecting the remain ing two legs to the frame to swing about an axis in parallelism with its long sides and at or near the long side thereof which is remote from the anchored legs, and a link connection between each anchored leg and the proximate free leg whereby swinging movement of the latter will be controlled by the swinging position of the bed frame upon its axis of movement.

5. A bed comprising a rectangular frame, four legs depending from the frame, two of the legs at opposite ends of the frame being connected thereto to permit swinging of the frame between vertical and horizontal positions about an axis f in parallelism with the long sides thereof, means for anchoring the said two legs to the floor whereon the bed is stood, the points of connection of the anchored legs with the frame being spaced inwardly equidistantly and substantially from the proximate frame side and the anchored legs being provided with stop means at points substantially below the axis of their connection with the frame to be engaged by the proximate frame side when the frame is swung upwardly from the horizontal through a movement of approximately the anchored stop means when engaged with the frame side acting to limit further swinging movement thereof, means connecting the remaining two legs to the frame to swing about an axis in parallelism with its long sides and at or near the long side thereof which is remote from the anchored legs, a link connection between each anchored leg and the proximate free leg whereby swinging movement of the latter will be controlled by the swinging movement of the bed frame upon its axis of movement, and means providng for sliding movement of each link connection with one of the associated legs to compensate for variations in distances between the pivotal axes of the connections between the frame and each pair of link-connected legs according to the swung position of the bed frame.

JACQUES L. GODSCHAIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 310,255 Cook Jan. 6 1885 1,057,256 McCarry Mar. 25, 1913 1,078,613 Corneil Nov. 18, 1913 1,137,402 Higgins Apr. 27, 1915 2,307,920 Deschamps Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,361 Great Britain 1894 

